Loving You
by mikan-hime2603
Summary: Moving to Tokyo with their mom after a separation, step sisters Mikan and Hotaru both enrolled at the prestigious Alice Academy. Will moving there be a good choice? Or will it only bring back painful memories from the past? AU.
1. Chapter 1

Sunlight seeped to the small opening of the room's curtains waking the sleeping girl. Mikan is a sixteen year old with hair of mahogany that reaches her lower back and eyes that has almost the same shade as her hair. Her mother, Yuka Azumi, is a renowned cardiologist while her step father, Imai Hayato, owns a huge multi-national company. In short, the Imai family is very, very rich. But none of that matters to Mikan because unlike the other members of her family, she is not an Imai, she is a Yukihara. She is the daughter born from her mom's first marriage with Izumi Yukihara, a man from another wealthy family. Yuka and Izumi's marriage was arranged but still, they loved each other. They were happy, until Mikan's father died when she was just two years old. Mikan never really knew what happened. Every time she asked her mom, all she would say is that he became sick.

After 2 years, Yuka remarried to a former classmate whose wife died from a tragic car accident. Hayato has two children, Hotaru, who is the same age as her and Subaru who is 5 years older. It took time for Hotaru and Mikan to finally accept each other as sisters but when they did, they were inseparable; or rather Mikan is inseparable from Hotaru. Hayato loved and treated her like a real daughter that people say that if not for their looks they would be mistaken as real family. Life is good, until something unexpected happened.

"How dare you!" Yuka's screaming woke the whole household early that morning. "How dare you do this me, you STUPID JERK!"

Mikan immediately stood up from her bed and ran outside where she saw her step siblings, both who looked like they also just jumped out of their beds. They all ran down stairs to where all the screaming is coming from. There they saw Yuka holding an antique ceramic vase and threw it to their father who was busy dodging the projectiles their mom was throwing his way.

"I just went out of the country for a month and you suddenly found another woman?! Tell me! How long had this been going on?"

"I already told you! We were drunk from the victory party for sealing a deal with another company, that's when it happened. So, let's just forget about it, okay?" Hayato said.

"Stupid." Hotaru muttered as Mikan face palmed and Subaru sighed. "I think you should go stop mom before she kills our idiot dad, nii- chan." she said while eyeing the now red-faced Yuka, if she was mad before, she is downright furious now.

"What did you just say?" came Yuka's eerily calm voice, making their children shiver, and Hayato almost peeing his pants. Only their mother's anger can make the stoic Imai siblings lose their cool.

_"Calm before the storm_" All four of them thought, even the maids who came running when they heard the commotion are now cowering away from Yuka's wrath.

"Let's just forget about it, huh?" their mom replied in the same voice, "You stupid son of a-!" she suddenly screamed making all of them jump before she lunged at her husband and started hitting him.

"Oh my god! Nii-chan, stop mom before she kills him!" Mikan screamed at Subaru who started to pull their mom away from the now blue and black Hayato while the maids ran toward their master and helped him to his office. The siblings brought their hysterical mom to the kitchen to try and calm her down.

"How could he do this?" Yuka cried as Mikan console her.

"Nii-chan, you still have to work right? You're going to be late for your hospital rounds." Hotaru said, giving Yuka a glass of water to help her calm.

"Yeah, I should probably go, the two of you as well, don't you have classes?" Subaru answered, "Mom, are you going to be ok?"

Yuka sniffed and wiped her tears away. "Yes, I'll be fine... though I can't say the same for your father."

"Don't worry he already left for work and I doubt he'll come home until he thinks you've cooled down. I don't think he's that stupid." Hotaru said as she grabbed Mikan and started pulling her out of the room. "Mikan and I are going to get ready for school now."

"Okay, be careful, you two." their mom yelled after them.

"We will!" Mikan yelled back.

"Hotaru-chan, what do you think will happen now? What are we going to do?" Mikan asked the ever-so-silent girl beside her as they waited for the car to drop them off at the school.

"If you're talking about dad and his idiotic stunt and mom being mad as hell, then I say, how in the world should I know, stupid. Obviously, we can't do anything," Hotaru answered, annoyed at Mikan for disturbing her from the brilliant ideas running in her head.

"Do you think mom will forgive dad?"

"That's nothing but wishful thinking. We both know mom, she's kind and loving, the perfect mom anyone would wish for, yes, she's forgiving, but there are things she'll never stand for, and this is one of them." she said to her distressed sister.

"But-" Mikan started before Hotaru interrupted her.

"Don't worry, whatever happens we'll still be sisters. That's why you're worried right, if mom decides to divorce, will we be separated? We won't, I'll make sure of it."

Mikan turned to her step-sister. Imai Hotaru is a beautiful girl with raven hair and amethyst eyes. They had a rough relationship at first, with both of them being so different from each other but with time they overcame the gaps between them and ended up being sisters slash best friends. Hotaru smiled at her and held her hand, "It's going to be okay, Mikan, trust me." Hotaru rarely smiles, and when she does, it's mostly for Mikan. Hearing those words, Mikan felt better because her sister never broke her promise, not ever.

"Okay." Mikan finally said, "I trust you."

"Excuse me. Hotaru-sama, Mikan-sama, we're here." The driver interrupted.

"Thank you, Sato-san" Mikan said as they both got off the car.

Hokkaido Special Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the area. Both Mikan and Hotaru are in their graduating years of their high school life. They have a lot of friends here since both of them have attended this school ever since they were in elementary level. Even Subaru studied here before he went off to another university to study medicine.

"Mikan-chaaaan! Hotaru-chaaaan! Good morning!" A loud shrill voice broke through the hushed conversations of the other students. The two girls both turned to see one of their close friends, Hanazono Ninako, running toward them.

"Ninako-chan! Good morning! "Mikan greeted back

"Shut up, both of you. So noisy." Hotaru said, glaring at the students who started to stare at them. "Let's go, we're going to be late."

Their whole day was spent in the gym where they had their rehearsals for the upcoming graduation. When school ended, Mikan went to a nearby cafe to wait for Hotaru who still has a meeting with the other committee members. After ordering Caramel Espresso she chose a seat near the windows so she can observe the people passing by, it's Mikan's favorite hobby, looking at people, wondering how those people live, their work, how they spend their free time. Things like that have always piqued Mikan's interest learning other people's life stories. Her ringtone broke her thoughts and she immediately picked up her phone and looked at the screen.

_"Subaru nii-chan calling." _

Mikan smiled and pressed answer. "Hello, nii-chan?"

_"Mikan, are you and Hotaru still at school?" _

"Nope, just Hotaru. She still has a club meeting; I'm waiting for her here at the coffee shop in front of the school."

_"Ok, wait for me there. I'll come to pick you up. See you in a bit."_

"Ok, take care." Mikan said before she heard the call end. _"That's rare; nii-chan doesn't normally pick us up. Oh well."_

"Ma'am here's your order." A man's voice interrupted Mikan's thoughts. She turned to the waiter who looked about the same age as her, _"Probably a student who has to work part-time to support himself" Mikan_ mused. With that in mind Mikan signaled the boy to wait and reached for her wallet to give him a ¥ 5000 for a tip. The waiter looked at Mikan, who just nodded and smiled. "Thank you very much, Ma'am."

"You're welcome." Mikan said, still smiling, before looking down at her table expecting to see her coffee. Instead she saw her Caramel Espresso _and_ Chocó Lava Pancake with red velvet cupcakes. Mikan turned to the boy who is already walking back to the counter, "Wait!" When the waiter turned, she continued. "I didn't order these pancakes and cupcakes."

"They're from sir over there." He said, gesturing toward a man who is smirking at Mikan.

Out of courtesy, Mikan smiled back. _"Looks arrogant, too self-confident and extremely superficial." _To her dismay, the man took her smile as an invitation and started walking over to her table.

"Hello, miss." The man said. Mikan just smiled and sipped her coffee while she looked at the man from the corner of her eyes. _"Handsome, yes. A bit boyish and obviously a playboy." _

"So, I can see you're alone, would you like some company?" The man asked coolly, not noticing Mikan's disinterest.

"Actually-" She started before someone cut her off.

"Actually, my sister and I were just about to leave." Mikan turned and saw Subaru-nii looking at her; she smiled and started collecting her things. After, she stood and turned to the man who was shocked by the arrival of her brother, "Thank you for the pancake and cupcakes. It's a pity that I wasn't able to eat them, but we have to go." She smiled one last time and left with her brother behind her.

Once they were out of the shop, Mikan sighed and turned to Subaru, "Thank goodness for your perfect timing, I had a feeling that that guy would be hard to shake off."

Subaru chuckled and said, "It's because you're too cute for your own good" Mikan just looked at him at rolled her eyes.

"You say that while Hotaru says it's because I look like an idiot who won't know when and how to say no to those kinds of people."

"That too." Subaru said, teasing. When Mikan glared at him, he laughed again and asked, "Speaking of which, Hotaru's meeting is still not over?"

As if on cue, Mikan's phone began to ring and Hotaru's name appeared on the screen. "Perfect timing." Mikan repeated, smiling slightly as she answered the call. "Hey, Hotaru-chan."

_"Where are you? The club meeting is over?" _

"I'm here in front of the cafe just outside the school. Nii-chan came to pick us up." Mikan said.

_"Ok, wait for me there. Bye." _Beep.

Mikan turned to her brother, "She said to wait for her here." Subaru just nodded and climbed into the car, seconds later the vehicle started just as Mikan saw Hotaru coming out of the school gates. She waved and got into the car as well, "Perfect timing again, nii-chan, maybe I should start calling you PT onii-chan." She laughed just as Hotaru climbed into the front seat.

"Do that and I will start calling you easy-prey imouto-chan." Subaru retorted back, maneuvering the car out of the parking area of the cafe.

"That would be very appropriate for a stupid girl like her." Hotaru joined in.

Mikan just pouted, "No fair." Subaru just peered at her through the mirror and smiled at her making her smile too. The rest of the way was spent in silence as they were both tired from all the graduation rehearsals they have been doing the whole day. Mikan closed her eyes to rest for a bit. After a few moments, she felt the car come to a stop. She opened her eyes and saw that they're already at their house. Climbing out of the car, Mikan stretched for a bit before going inside after her siblings.

"We're home!" Mikan called out.

"Welcome home Mikan-sama, Hotaru-sama, and Subaru-sama." A maid, Kaya, greeted back. "The master and mistress are in the office. Yuka-sama said that you get dressed first and then come down to the office too." Kaya informed.

"Okay. Thank you, Kaya-san" Subaru said. The maid just bowed her head as the three went to their respective rooms. After changing out of their uniforms and suit for Subaru, the three went to their father's private office.

"Hotaru-chan, do you think this is about what happened this morning?" Mikan asked her stoic sister.

"Of course, stupid." The girl replied. Hotaru looked at Mikan who looked distressed. "Mikan," she called, "what did I tell you earlier?"

Mikan sighed to relieve herself of the building tension in her body and looked at Hotaru, "It's going to be okay."

Hotaru smiled a bit and held Mikan's hand, "That's right. So calm down, stupid."

Subaru, who is walking ahead of them, stopped in front of a door and knocked.

_"Come in." _Came their father's voice. Subaru opened the door and gestured for Mikan and Hotaru to go in before going after them and closing the door.

"Sit down, you three." their mother spoke. Mikan looked at their mom and saw her slightly red eyes that are obviously from crying. After they settled, they all looked expectantly at their parents.

Yuka sighed and began, "Your father and me already spoke about what happened. I was also able to talk to the other woman involved and she confirmed that they were drunk." she paused and looked down before continuing, "But even if that is the case, it's still wrong. They both did me, and even you, wrong. This kind of thing isn't something that you can easily forget. Sure, I can forgive them, but I can't just put it behind me and say, 'hey it's an accident, let's just forget about it'. It doesn't work like that, so we decided to make some changes in this family." Yuka looked at her husband and waited for him to speak.

It was Hayato's turn to sigh. "Your mother decided that she and I would live apart from each other." he said before he leaned back on his chair and waited for the children's reaction.

"WHAT?!"


	2. Chapter 2

"WHAT?!" Mikan yelled, making the maid, who was pouring juice, jump and almost drop the pitcher.

"Mikan, honey, was that really necessary?" Yuka asked as she winced from her daughter's loud voice.

"Just what I was thinking." Hotaru said darkly, glaring at Mikan who cowered.

"Sorry. But really, what? Live apart?"

"Yes, baby. Daddy and I are going to live apart for now." Yuka answered patiently. "Remember the job offer I got from Tokyo? I was thinking of accepting it."

"WHAT?!" Mikan yelled again.

BAKABAKABAKABAKA! Thud!

"Ouch!" exclaimed Mikan who was now out of her seat, sprawled at the floor after being shot by Hotaru's Ultimate Baka Gun 2.0. "What was that for?"

"It's payback for almost making deaf with your abnormally loud voice." Hotaru snapped.

"Mikan, honey, as far as I can remember, I didn't eat a megaphone when I was pregnant with you so I don't really know why you're so loud but please try to lower your voice, okay?" Yuka pleaded to save them all from future hearing disability.

"Sorry," Mikan uttered, "Back to the topic, you're getting a divorce?" she added incredulously.

"No, honey. As I said we're just going to live apart, we're not getting a divorce." Yuka replied.

"And that means?" Hotaru chimed in.

"It means I can't stand the sight of your father's face right now. Of course when I decided to go to Tokyo, he begged me not to but when I asked him if he wants to have a high five with a chair in the face every morning until the day I forgive him, he finally allowed me to go." Yuka retorted, flashing a honeyed smile in the direction of her husband, who shivered.

"O...kay? But if you're moving to Tokyo, you're going to live there alone?" Mikan asked worriedly.

"Oh no, honey," Yuka started, "I won't be living alone 'cause the two of you are coming with me. Yay! Great right?" their mom exclaimed in delight.

There was a pause as Mikan processed her mother's statement. "WHAT?! Move to Tokyo? Mom you forced me to yell out the same word thrice so you better explain it fully to us. We're graduating in two weeks and you want us to move with you? What's with that rash decision? How are we-?"

BAKABAKABAKABAKA!

"OW! Again Hotaru?!" Mikan cried.

Hotaru just looked at Mikan, not feeling apologetic at all. "Breathe idiot. Now mom, you made me shot Mikan eight times in less than one hour, so please explain to us very clearly in exchange for all the brain cells she just lost." She said calmly.

Yuka sweat dropped. "As I said earlier, you're going to live with me in Tokyo. Of course we're going to wait for your graduation first. You're both going to college now and Tokyo has the best schools that Japan has to offer, so why not go there with me? I already found a university that you might like, Alice University; it's the best university in Tokyo. So what do you say?" She asked.

"I'll go where Mikan goes." Hotaru replied, smiling at Mikan. _"We will always be sisters. We won't be separated." _Mikan remembered Hotaru's words from earlier. She smiled back and looked at mom. "We'll go with you to Tokyo. Sorry, dad."

Hayato smiled and said, "its okay, you're priority is your mom of course. I'll be fine here."

"Okay now that that's settled, can I go now? I still have rounds." a voice came from behind them making Mikan jump.

"Nii-chan! You scared me! I forgot you were even there. Mikan exclaimed.

"Yeah, thanks for that." Subaru retorted.

"It's because you didn't speak the whole time!" Mikan said defensively.

Yuka laughed, "Go ahead, Subaru."

"I'll be home tomorrow night." he said before heading for the door.

"By the way, what about nii-chan? He will stay here then?" Mikan inquired.

"Of course, dear. He has work, you know. Besides, who do you think will I use as surveillance for your father? Naturally, it's going to be Subaru." Yuka replied before releasing an evil laugh.

Mikan and Hotaru sweat dropped before the latter spoke, "Okay, it's all decided right?" Yuka and Hayato just nodded, "Then, we'll be going upstairs now." the girl informed, pulling Mikan out of the room.

"Good night mom!'Night dad!" Mikan yelled before going with the other girl.

Upstairs, the two headed to the mini kitchen provided for the three of them since their parents' room is the down stairs. Mikan immediately went for the fridge while Hotaru went to her room. "Hotaru-chan, what would you like?" Mikan asked when Hotaru came back with her laptop.

"Just water," Hotaru answered while typing away at her laptop. Mikan grabbed a bottle of water and a can of juice before going for the seat next to the raven haired girl.

"Here," handing the bottle to her sister, "what are doing, anyway?" she asked.

"Doing a research about Alice University, of course. Finish that and go to sleep. I'll give you a copy tomorrow. Read it before school year starts."

"Do I have to?" Mikan whined.

Hotaru whacked Mikan's head with the still half full water bottle. "Of course, you idiot. Do you want to look like a complete moron getting lost in that huge place?"

"Is it that big?" Mikan asked, rubbing the spot Hotaru hit.

"Roughly four times bigger than our school." The other replied.

"Wow! It's huge; maybe I will need that map."

"Of course you will, with your stupidity, you'll definitely get lost." Hotaru retorted dryly. "It's late, go to your room."

"Tsk. How mean." Mikan said before picking up their litters to throw it away and heading for her room. "Good night, Hotaru."

"Good night, Mikan."

For the next few days, Mikan and Hotaru allotted their time to school and packing their things at home. After the graduation, the two bid goodbye to their friends and promised to call them time after time. That night, the whole family had dinner together.

"So," Hayato began, "You'll be leaving tomorrow. Hotaru, be good there okay? Don't cause problems for your step mom."

"I'm not a kid. If there's anyone who will bring trouble, it would be this idiot." Hotaru retorted, referring to Mikan.

Mikan pouted. "I won't."

Yuka laughed before turning to Subaru. "You'll be okay right? I'll take Mikan and Hotaru with me so you'll be staying here with your dad."

"Yeah, I'll be okay. I'll guard dad for you, mom." Mikan and Yuka laughed while Hotaru and Subaru smirked at Hayato's embarrassment.

"I told you already, it won't happen again." Hayato said.

"It better not or else," Yuka threatened, not bothering to finish her sentence.

"Well, everything's ready right? Mikan, Hotaru, you brought everything you need? Don't forget your documents for enrollment. The enrollment will start three days from now so you'll both have time to settle in our new house." Yuka asked her two girls.

"Yup, it's all done." Mikan answered for both of them while Hotaru just nodded.

"Alright, both of you should sleep now." Yuka said, signaling the maid to start clearing the table.

"Okay, good night mom, dad, nii-chan." Mikan bid before following Hotaru upstairs.

"Good night, Hotaru-chan." Mikan said to the other girl.

Mikan changed to her sleeping clothes before climbing to bed. After a few minutes, the brunette is already asleep. But instead of having a peaceful slumber, she dreamed. Dreamed of a man with sunny smile and kind blue eyes. The man was looking down at her, laughing before he turned and spoke to another person who was laughing as well, a laugh that sounds familiar. The man looked at her again before reaching out as if to pick her up, _"Mikan."_

The aforementioned girl gasped and woke up sweating. She sat up before reaching for the lamp beside her bed. Mikan tried to calm herself but to her surprise tears fell from her eyes. A broken sound escaped from her throat before it turned to loud sobs as she broke down, repeating only one word as she sobbed.

"Daddy."


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Mikan woke up to her mother's gentle shakes. "Mikan, baby, you have to get ready now. Our flight is in three hours. Hotaru is already up. I'll wait for you downstairs okay?" Yuka said, already moving towards the door

"Mom," Mikan called, "what was daddy like?" The question made her mother pause.

Yuka turned and went to her daughter's side once again. "Why do you ask?"

Mikan cleared her throat before replying, "I-I had a dream about dad."

"Really? What was it about?"The older woman asked, brushing back her daughter's hair.

"He was laughing, peering down at me. He was also talking to someone, who was also laughing. I think it was you, mom, it was your laugh." Mikan spilled.

Yuka sighed, "Your father loved us very much, Mikan." The older woman began, "He fought for us, he protected us, he did everything for us."

"What do you mean 'fought for us'?" Mikan asked.

"Maybe in time I'll tell you. Come on, we have to get ready." Yuka said taking her daughter's hand and started pulling to the door.

An hour later, the family is already seated in the car being driven by Hayato. "Mikan, Hotaru, the house I bought for us is already fully furnished. All you have to do is to unpack your things and arrange it."

"Okay, mom. Mikan's asleep, by the way." Hotaru informed. Yuka turned to see that, indeed, her daughter is asleep.

"She must have been unable to sleep last night." She said, choosing not to say anything about her daughter's dream. "We still have about twenty minutes before we reach the airport, so let her sleep."

Half an hour later, the family is saying their goodbyes to one another.

"Be good there, okay? Both of you, Mikan and Hotaru." Hayato said hugging her biological daughter to him.

"Yeah, yeah. Now let go of me, it's disgusting." Hotaru said dryly.

Mikan laughed and replied, "Okay dad, I promise I'll be good and I won't look for trouble."

"That's good, Mikan. I just hope you will be able to keep that promise." Subaru said, laughing lightly.

"How rude! Of course, I'll be able to." Mikan pouted making her brother smile.

"The idiot doesn't have to go look for trouble, it will find her." Hotaru said dryly.

_"Thank you for waiting. All passengers for flight 603 bound to Tokyo, please proceed to the boarding area." _

"That's our flight," Yuka announced, "we'll be going now. Subaru, take care of your dad, okay?

"Honey, I won't do anything troublesome so please stop asking Subaru to watch me." Hayato retorted in a disgruntled tone.

The family, except for Hotaru, laughed at Hayato's expense. After saying goodbye, the three went for their flight. Two hours later, Yuka and her daughters ate already in a taxi, waiting to be dropped off in their new home.

"Here we are!" Yuka exclaimed after a few minutes, giving the driver cash as payment.

"The hell is this?" Mikan asked, "Where's the house?" In front of them is a huge gate and towering walls covered in climbing plants. "OW! That hurt!" Mikan conplained to Hotaru who hit her again.

"It's inside, dummy." the stoic girl replied.

"Now, now. No fighting girls. And, Mikan, Hotaru's right, the house is in side." Yuka interrupted, taking out her keys from her bag and opening the gate. Inside lies a flower garden with a fountain in the middle.

"Wow, mom. It's beautiful." Mikan said, looking around.

"Yeah, thank Kami none of us has allergy to flowers or we'll die." Hotaru added dryly making Mikan laugh.

Yuka also laughed before pointing to a huge structure, "There's the house, Mikan."

Mikan turned to where her mother was pointing and gasped. By the left side of the garden lies a three-storey house with walls of glass. "Now you see why we need high walls and a huge gate."

"Oh mom, The garden is beutiful but the house is fantastic!" Mikan exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight. "But i still don't get the high walls." The statement earned her a hard smack to the back of her head coirtesy of Hotaru.

"Idiot. It's for privacy, of course. Can't you see that the walls are see through?" Hotaru snapped at a pouting Mikan who is rubbing her head.

Yuka juat sighed at the two. "Go to your rooms, the whole third floor is yours. The second will have the master's bedroom and my office, as well as an extra room for your brother. The first floor will be for the whole family." she explained.

The whole day was spent unpacking and arranging their things from Hokkaido. For dinner the three ordered for pizza and ate while watching movie.

"I'm dead tired!" Mikan conplained, raising her feet to rest it.

"You will be dead for real if you don't take your stinking feet off of my lap." Hotaru threatened.

"It doesn't stink!" the other defended. "Mom, what about clothes? You told us to leave our things in dad's house."

"We'll go shopping of course!" Yuka declared, clapping excitedly. "It'll be our bonding time!"

Mikan cheered along with Yuka while Hotaru just shook her head at the other two's antics. "Mikan, go take a shower and sleep. I have a feeling that 'shopping' tomorrow will go on for hours, probably the whole day."

Yuka laughed, "You're right! I'm going to buy you lots of clothes. Using your dad's credit card of course." She added, releasing a dark laugh, making her daughters sweatdrop.

"Mom, you brought it with you?" Mikan asked in a weak voice.

"Yes, as matter of fact I did. Why? Did you think us leaving will be his only punishment." Yuka replied.

"I think Hotaru's sadistic attitude affected you, I feel sorry for dad." Mikan mumbled as she stood up to go to her room. "I'm going to sleep, good night."

"Good night, dear. Hotaru, you too. You should go to bed." Yuka said, also standing up to go to her room.

After two days of settling in their new home, the three are ready to continue with their lives. Yuka already signed a contract with a big hospital as its head cardiologist. Mikan and Hotaru, on the other hand, are going to enroll in Alice University.

"Mikan-sama," Miyuki, their new maid called, "please wake up. Hotaru-sama will get angry at you if you make yourselves late for the enrollment."

"At the menion of enrollment, Mikan suddenly sat up and jumped out of bed. Grabbing a towel and clothes, she immediately went inside the shower. Miyuki just shook her head at the young girl's antics before stepping out of the room to prepare breakfast.

"Is she awake?" A voice suddenly spoke making the maid jump.

"Hotaru-sama! You scared me, yes, Mikan-sama is already awake." Miyuki replied, still clutching at her chest area, willing her heartbeat to slow down.

Hotaru smirked at the other girl's shock,"You don't have to be so formal with us. You're almost mom's age so it's weird with you being so respectful."

"O-okay, Hotaru-sama" at Hotaru's glance, she amended, "Hotaru-chan."

This time, Hotaru smiled, "Much better. Is there breakfast? And where's mom?"

"I already cooked breakfast, I just have to prepare it on the table. Yuka-sama left early and told me to tell you that she won't be home tonight because she has an operation. She also said to call her once your and Mikan-chan's enrollment finished."

"Oh, okay. Come on, I'm hungry. Mikan will come down once she's finished, that girl will die before she skips a meal." the raven haired girl retorted.

When Mikan came down, she was wearing a pair of shorts and a simple white tee. With her waist-length hair down, Mikan looked really beautiful. "I'm starving!" the said girl exclaimed.

"Eat and shut up." Hotaru said, the stoic girl is wearing a black form-fiting pants and a white tank top paired with a blue cardigan. "Hurry up, I don't want to squeeze in with other students so we have to be there early."

"Hotaru, it is early. It's barely eight o'clock."

By eight thirty, the sisters are already in the car, going to the university. After reminding the driver to pick them up, the two started for their department to take a registration form.

"I told you already, Nonoko! The business administration department is that way!" Mikan and Hotaru turned to the noise and saw two girls, one pink haired, who was pointing to the left, and the other blue haired.

"No! I asked another student and he said it's this way, Anna!" Yelled the other, pointing to the right.

Mikan looked at Hotaru, who gave her a deadpanned stare. "Thank God I memorized the map you gave me." Mikan said, laughing sheepishly, "Shall we help them? They're also Business Ad studens." Taking Hotaru's silence as an agreement, Mikan walked towards the arguing pair and spoke, "Excuse me, we noticed that maybe you need a little help?"

The two girls, Nonoko and Anna, turned towards Mikan, "Oh yes! Please tell this person here that Business Ad Department is to the left."

The other said, "No, isn't it to the right?" The pink haired said.

Mikan laughed, looking at Hotaru who smirked. "It's actually in front of you already." The brunette replied, pointing to the massive building in front of them.

"R-really?" The blue haired girl asked, the four looked at each other and burst out laughing except for Hotaru who just smirked.

"Well, we're already laughing but we don't even know each other." The pinkette began. "I'm Anna and this one," she pointed to the blue haired girl, "is my best friend, Nonoko."

"I'm Mikan and this is my sister, Hotaru?" Mikan said.

"Sisters?! You don't look alike at all." Nonoko exclaimed.

"Well, we're actuallt step sisters." Mikan amended, laughing sheepishly.

"Now, that explains it." Anna chimed. "Now, let's go get those forms!" The four started for the building when someone suddenly grabbed Mikan's arm. The brunette gasped and looked at the person, "What the hell are you doing?" she asked, tugging her arm free. The person who grabbed her was a woman, probably three to four years older her with pink hair and athletic body.

"Misaki, what are you doing?" asked the man beside Misaki, the boy has golden hair and gentle face.

The girl, named Misaki, tugged the boy and faced him towards Mikan, "Look at her, Kaname. Doesn't she look familiar?"

The boy, Kaname, looked at Mikan's confused face. "Really? Have you met her before."

Another arm shot out and grabbe Mikan pulling her from Misaki's grasp, "Unless you came from Hokkaido, then no, you've never met her." Hotaru snapped at the two making them recoil. "Let's go, Mikan?"

Misaki and Kaname gasped. "Did you just say 'Mikan'?" Kaname asked.

"Is something wrong? Have we met?" Mikan asked, confused by the whole situation.

"Let's go, Mikan. Don't mind them." Hotaru said, glaring darkly at the older pair and started pulling Mikan away. The brunete looked back and saw Misaki and Kaname still looking at her.

_"Who are they?"_


	4. Chapter 4

"About what happened this morning, it was weird, right?" Mikan asked, as she and Hotaru are having their dinner.

The girl beside her swallowed before answering, "Downright weird. Are you sure you've never met them?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I mean, I'd remember if I met a pink haired girl, I love pink." Mikan replied. "Maybe they mistook me for someone else?"

"I doubt it. Have you forgotten how they reacted when they heard your name?" Hotaru asked, before reaching for the plate of crab roe.

"First of all, yes, that was weird too. First time they met a girl named Mikan? We had a classmate named Mikan too when we were in elementary, Maybe we should introduce them. And second, do you know that too much of that can give you high blood and can lead to heart attack?"

Hotaru scooped a spoonful of the said food and ate it, blatantly disregarding Mikan's words. "Yes, I do know. That's why I drink lots of juice to balance it. And also, we have a cardiologist mom, very convenient."

Mikan just sighed at his sister's addiction, "Yeah, whatever. Do what you want." Just then Mikan's beeped, "Oh it's Nonoko-chan." Mikan said, heading for her room.

Later that night, Mikan was in her room exchanging messages with Anna and Nonoko when her mom called. "Hey mom, how are you?"

"Hey baby, mom's fine. I just finished my first operation and I have another one in fifteen minutes so I thought I would call you first. How was your day? How was the enrollment?" Yuka asked.

"It was fine. Hotaru and I are already finished so we don't have to go back until the start of classes which is next week." Mikan reported, "We also met two girls, Anna and Nonoko, and they are also taking Business Ad so we already have two friends. Isn't it great?"

"Of course it's great, honey. At least you and Hotaru already have someone you know."

"I know right? And also, it's great that I read the map and information about the school when Hotaru asked me to, because that place is huge. There were so many students today. Oh, and speaking of students, this morning, someone-"

"Dr. Yuka? The operation will start in about three minutes." A voice said from her mom's line.

"Sorry sweetheart, I have to go. Tell me next time, okay? I'll be home tomorrow night. Go to sleep. I love you both."

"Okay, love you too mom. See you tomorrow." Mikan said back before

By Sunday that week, Mikan was already reduced to a 'miserably nervous wreck that is a nuisance to people's eyes' according to Hotaru. Tomorrow is the start of classes and for Mikan, it's enough reason to get jittery.

"Hotaru! Aren't you at least a little bit worried?" A very high strung Mikan asked her ever calm sister.

"If I have worries about tomorrow, it would be the same size of your brain. And since you have no brain then no, I'm not worried even a slightest bit."

"Hey! That's rude!" The other complained, "I have a brain, you know!"

"No, I don't know." Hotaru replied sarcastically.

Just then, the door opened to reveal a visibly tired Yuka. "Hey girls, you're still up? You have to get some sleep, tomorrow is your first day."

"Welcome home, mom!" Mikan greeted while Hotaru stood up to tell Miyuki to prepare some food for their mother. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a have a lot of operations and check-ups this week. Have you both eaten already?" the older woman asked.

"Yeah, we did. Do you want to eat?"

"Mom," Hotaru called, "there's food on the table for you. I asked Miyuki to prepare it so you can eat."

"Really? Thank you, dear. Okay, I'll eat and you two go to bed, alright?"

"Okay then, good night mom!" Mikan bid.

"Good night mom, rest well." Said Hotaru, already following Mikan upstairs.

The next morning, Hotaru woke up when someone jumped on her bed.

BAKABAKABAKABAKABAKA!

"Ow! The hell, Hotaru? I was just going to wake you up because today's the first day of school!" Mikan complained, rubbing the sore spot in her head. "Why do you have that with on your bed anyway? And how did that thing get past customs?"

"Idiot, I made another one here. And it's still so early!"

Mikan laughed sheepishly, "Because I can't sleep anymore, so I came to wake you up. Besides it would be good if we're early today. Then we can roam around our building first. Oh, I also told Anna and Nonoko to be there early."

"You're so stupid. Get off my bed and get ready, I'm already awake so what the hell." Hotaru grumbled.

At seven o'clock that morning, the two are already on their way out of the house with their fussing mother behind them. "Are you sure you have everything with you? Documents, I.D., money-?"

"Yes, mom. We're sure we already have everything we need with us." Mikan replied, exasperated.

"We'll be okay; I'll call you if Mikan causes trouble." Hotaru said, smirking at Mikan.

"Yeah, yeah. Like I'll cause trouble this early." Mikan mumbled, rolling her eyes at her sister.

"Well then, go on you two. Be good at school, alright?" Yuka finally said, opening the car door for her daughters. "Shino-san will pick you up when classes are over."

"Okay, bye mom." The two said.

The ride was spent in silence until Hotaru snapped at Mikan, "Stop fidgeting will you. What are you? A pre-schooler?"

Mikan sighed and tried to calm herself down. If she doesn't, Hotaru, who has zero percent mercy, will surely hit her again with her diabolical Baka Gun.

"I was fine earlier, why am I like this now? Maybe it was because I ate too much?" the brunette asked.

"Whatever you did, it doesn't matter now 'cause we're here." Hotaru replied.

Mikan gasped and looked at the window just as the car pulled to a stop in front of Alice University. Hotaru opened the car door and got off and waited for Mikan to get off also. At a nod from the stoic girl the car started to move until it was out of sight.

"Mikan-chan! Hotaru!" the two aforementioned girls looked back and saw their new friends walking towards them.

Mikan immediately put up a smile on her face and greeted the two, "Anna-chan! Nonoko-chan! You're here!"

"Of course, we also want to roam around our building. And I wasn't able to sleep at all last night!" Anna asked.

"Oh! Same as me! I had a hard time sleeping last night!" Mikan exclaimed.

"How about you, Hotaru?" Nonoko asked.

"Slept like a baby." Hotaru replied in a stoic voice.

The three others laughed, "Well, shall we go check out our building?" Anna invited.

"Yes! Let's go!" Mikan yelled, making other's turn to look at them. Hotaru was about to shut her sister up when someone beat her to it.

"Shut up and get out of the way, little girl." A rude voice said from behind Mikan.

The 'little girl' gasped and turned towards the owner of the voice, "Who are you calling 'little girl', punk?" Mikan asked. Anna and Nonoko gasped when they saw the man's face. In front of them stood young man their age with cold red eyes and a face that can make a woman's ovaries explode with too much estrogen. Unlike the two best friends who look dazed, the sisters were glaring at the man.

"Who do you think I'm talking to?" The red eyed man asked.

"Natsume, what are you doing? Stop bullying other students, we're also freshmen, you know." This time, Mikan gasped. Behind the man called Natsume, another man appeared. Unlike Natsume, the newcomer has a gentle aura around him. With blond hair and blue eyes paired with kind disposition, it was no wonder why Mikan blurted out,

"Hotaru! It's a prince!" SMACK! "Ow! Hotaru! What did I do now?"

"You were being rude. Apologize, Mikan." Hotaru answered, staring straight at the 'prince's' face.

The blue eyed man smiled, "It was fine. I should be the one apologizing for my best friend's attitude. I'm Ruka Nogi, by the way, and this is Hyuuga Natsume. You are?"

Mikan smiled back at Ruka, "I'm Mikan Yukihara and this is my step sister, Hotaru Imai. Also, Anna Umenomiya and Nonoko Ogasawara, our friends."

"Mikan, as I was saying, you should apologize." Hotaru interrupted "It's rude to call him a prince when he looks more like a princess." The girl said in a monotone voice. Anna and Nonoko's eyes widened while Mikan choked on her own spit, prompting the pink haired girl to slap her back repeatedly. Natsume smirked and looked down, shaking his head in amusement at his best friends look. Ruka looked like he just drank a bottle of hot chili sauce with his eyes open wide and a flush covering his entire face.

"Th-that… I'm not…" Ruka said, stuttering in embarrassment.

"Whatever, Ruka. Let's just go." Natsume retorted, helping his friend out.

"Y-yeah. Hotaru, let's go, okay?" Mikan asked, tugging her sister's arm and pulling her away from the blushing boy. "Bye Nogi-san, see you later! Bye Hyuuga-jerk, see you never!"

Natsume smirked as the brunette stuck her tongue out at him, "No, it's see you later, little girl. After all, we're in the same class." He murmured, "Mikan Yukihara."


	5. Chapter 5

"That guy is sooooo RUDE!" Mikan screeched.

The other two laughed lightly, "Mikan-chan, he wasn't rude, he was H-O-T!" Anna exclaimed.

"And what are you, a fan girl?" Mikan retorted.

"Here's the office, Mikan get four copies of the schedule." Hotaru ordered.

"What? Why me?" the brunette complained.

Hotaru turned to glare at her sister, "Because you're noisy."

"Fine," Mikan complied, pouting lightly.

She knocked first and went inside the office. The room was full of students asking for their schedules.

'_Thank God it's air-conditioned.' _

"Mikan-chan!" the brunette looked around the room looking for the owner of the voice. In front of the cubicle of the director, Mikan saw the pink haired woman, Misaki, waving her over. Mikan smiled warily and walked towards the girl.

"Hello, Misaki-san." Mikan greeted.

The older woman laughed, "You don't have to be so formal, Mikan-chan." Misaki laughed again, "Anyway, I want to introduce you to my cousins."

Mikan looked behind the girl and saw two other guys; the first is the one who was with Misaki the first time they met. The other one is younger, the same age as Mikan. The boy has brown hair, wavy hair and blue eyes.

"You already met this one," Misaki began, "Sono Kaname, our moms are sisters. And this one, is Youichi Yu-," the girl was cut off when Sono slapped his hand over her mouth.

"This one is Youichi; he's sixteen years old, the same age as you. He's also going to be your classmate because he's taking up Business Administration too-AAAHHH!" Mikan jumped along with the other students in the room when Sono yelled.

"Bastard! I can't breathe!" Misaki screeched while Sono tried to soothe the hand that Misaki bit.

Mikan was laughing at the two when a paper was shoved in her face. Blinking her suddenly crossed eyes, she looked at the boy who handed her the schedule.

"Th-thanks, Youichi-san." She said, taking the papers, "Um, I actually need three more for my sister and my friends."

"Sister?" Mikan shivered at the dark tone the boy used. "You have a sister?"

"Y-yes. A-actually, Hotaru and I are step sisters." Mikan replied.

"Youichi, don't scare her off." Sono interrupted, handing Mikan four more schedules. "Here, Mikan-chan. "

"Thank you, Kaname-sempai, Youichi-san." Mikan said, taking the other schedules.

"Don't be so formal," Youichi said.

"Okay! See you around Misaki-sempai, Kaname-sempai, You-kun!" Mikan bid, turning and heading for the door.

Misaki and Kaname laughed, "You-kun? She called you You-kun. Pft." Misaki teased.

"If it's her, it's fine. But if you try to call me that, don't forget to sleep with one eye open." Youichi warned the two walking to the door himself.

"Hotaru! Let's go! I got our schedules!" Mikan exclaimed.

"Thanks, Mikan-chan!" Anna and Nonoko chimed.

"Come on, we have the same first class." Hotaru said.

Nonoko coughed and subtly flipped her long blue hair, "Is it just me or a lot students are looking at us?"

"It's Mikan-chan, they're looking at her." Anna whispered.

Mikan, who was browsing her phone, looked up, "Hm? Did you say something, Anna-chan?"

"I said guys are looking at you, Mikan-chan. It's because you're really pretty." Anna replied.

"Huh? I'm not, I look really simple." Mikan was sporting black skinny jeans and bright pink tank top paired with a denim vest, her small feet hidden in a pair of flats and her long hair braided into one side.

"Yeah, if simple looks _that _good." Nonoko replied.

"Quit yapping, we're here." Hotaru snapped. The three immediately went quiet as the stoic girl pushed open the door.

"There," Mikan pointed to four vacant seats.

Mikan was about to sit down when a voice spoke. "Well, well, if it's not little girl."

The brunette turned and saw none other than the biggest jerk she has ever met seated right behind her. "YOU!"

"The name's Natsume, actually, not 'you'." Natsume smirked.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"MISS YUKIHIRA!" Mikan jumped in shock and whirled to face an angry teacher with glasses and somewhat oily hair. "If you do not want to get detention on the first day of classes, I suggest that you take your seat."

"Yes, Professor Snape!" Mikan gasped as the words left her mouth. The class snickered while the professor flushed both in anger and in embarrassment.

"Miss Yukihira, my name is Professor Jinno, not Snape! DETENTION!" the angry man yelled.

The door opened and a voice drawled, "Now, Jin-jin. It's not good for you to be so angry so early in the morning. And it's not good to give students detention on the first day as well." The speaker was none other than Youichi.

"You're late," Jinno said, glaring at the newcomer. "Sit down and stop calling me Jin-jin. Miss Yukihira, you sit down too, if you don't want me to really give you detention."

"Then you're not go-" Hotaru pulled Mikan down before she can even piss of the professor.

"You're so stupid, I feel like my brains are going to fry from being around you for so long." Hotaru hissed.

Youichi started walking and went for the seat beside Mikan and sat down.

"Thank you, You-kun." Mikan whispered, smiling at the boy. Youichi only nodded at her and turned to Hotaru.

"You must be Mikan-san's sister," He said and Hotaru just nodded.

"As if, you're not her sister." The boy huffed.

The tension suddenly rose as Hotaru glared at the boy, "What did you say?"

"Miss Imai! Youichi! Stop talking and listen to me!" Jinno snapped.

Youichi glared back at Hotaru before turning to the front.

After that class, Mikan went to the comfort room while the there went to reserve seats at the canteen. While Mikan was fixing her hair, a group of ladies went inside and locked the door.

"Hey, you!" the brunette turned to the one who called her, a girl with permed, seaweed colored hair. "Who do you think you are? How dare you talk to Natsume-sama and Youichi-sama like that?"

"What?" Mikan asked, confused at the situation.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from them!" Another girl said, this time with strawberry colored hair, yelled as another grabbed her hair.

"OUCH! Let go! It hurts!" Mikan yelled.

BANG! The girls jumped when the locked door suddenly burst open.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Youichi's dark voice came, making the girls shiver in fright.

"Y-youichi-sama! We were just talking to her!"

"Th-that's right! Just talk! Oh my, what happened to your hair, Yukihira- san?"

The permed girl smoothed her hair," You can't go out like that, Mikan-san. Well, we were just helping her with her hair and having a little girl talk."

"Yes! A girl talk. Anyway, we have to go now. Nice talking with you, Yukihira-san!" At that, the group of girls left the room.

"Are you alright?" Youichi asked the dazed Mikan.

"What just happened?" She asked dumbly. Youichi just sighed and handed her a combed from her open bag.

"Fix yourself and let's go." Youichi ordered.

Mikan looked at the mirror and screeched. "I just finished fixing it and those monsters went ahead and ruined it!"

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up, I'm hungry."

Ten minutes later, the two entered the canteen and Youichi dropped her off at the table Hotaru chose before going to the table he shares with his cousins.

"What took you so long, Mikan-chan? And what in the world are you doing with Youichi-kun?" Anna asked, handing her food.

"A group of girls confronted me at the restroom and You-kun happened to save me." Mikan replied before she gasped, "I forgot to thank him! I'll go thank him now."

"Idiot, classes starts in ten minutes, thank him later." Hotaru said.

Meanwhile, in Youichi's table, Misaki and Sono handed Youichi food and began to eat as well.

"Where were you?" Misaki asked.

The younger boy looked at her before answering, "Mikan was being bullied. And get out of our table, Andou. Can't you see that Misaki-nee is not interested?"

Andou, a boy the same age as Misaki and Kaname grinned, "First of all, call me Tsubasa-nii and second, it won't be long until Misaki succumbs to my charms."

Youichi drawled, "First of all, I'd rather die than call you 'Tsubasa-nii' and second, what charms? I don't see any."

Tsubasa pouted and was about to retort when Kaname interrupted, "Bullied? Why?"

"Fan girls." Youichi answered simply while the three others winced. Kaname saw his younger cousin looking at another table and turned to see what caught the other's attention. At the table, Mikan was laughing lightly as she said something to Hotaru.

"Is this okay, Youichi?" he asked.

"Of course not," the boy answered, standing up to leave the canteen.

"_She should be here, not there." _The boy whispered.


End file.
